Birdsville Races 2012

[Old.Tony]

We need to leave Monday 26th August. Monday night we're in the Nindigully Pub, Tuesday in Charleville, Wednesday in Windorah for the yabby races, Thursday in Birdsville for those races which are held Friday and Saturday.

We leave on Sunday morning and can travel a bit quicker if you like - rather than taking 4 days to get back, we could probably be back home by Tuesday (4th Sep) evening. All depends on how we travel together, how our fuel stops go and most importantly how much difficulty we have setting up the campers each night.

 

[LLadnar]

Locked in, we'll be there. Can't wait.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm thinking of returning to the original (70km longer) route, just for safety's sake. Take a look at this street view of the highway between St George and Mitchell. It's about a single lane of bitumen. In convoy we'd have to travel slower so that we could edge off the bitumen and allow oncoming vehicles to pass. If there are sharp edges to the bitumen we'll destroy tyres.

I did look at the road from Bollon to Charleville and it's narrow dirt, so we'd be going slower - but there's not a lot of distance saved according to Google Maps - 1929km for the whole trip via Bollon Rd, compared to 2013km (via Roma) or 1939km via the Mitchell-St George road. I think for the sake of saving 10km, we may end up using more fuel and spending more time, and certainly eating more dust.

The longer route via Roma has marked lanes in both directions as you can see here. It's an extra 74km but given that it's wider and won't require us to pull off the road every time another vehicle comes, we will probably save some time this way as well. I have to keep reminding myself when I'm planning these routes that I'm not going to be travelling alone- there's at least two of us now (Lladnar+family and myself+family). This means I need to allow extra time - and a reduced speed - for poorer roads etc. The better the road, the less this has to be catered for - so I'm leaning towards via Roma again.

Any thoughts?

 

[BravoBrad]

I would NOT recomend the Bollon Rd for a convoy. The vehcles at the back would be driving in a dust storm, and if somebody made a sudden stop (Which will happen on this road) in front of them, it could all end in tears.

 

[Old.Tony]

We'd face a similar thing on the highway between St George and Mitchell when we had to pull over.

So via Roma it is. I'll modify the map link on the first post to reflect this map.

I think eating almost 400km of dust between Windorah and Birdsville is going to be enough. D40s should probably tail-end the convoy, make those pollen filters earn their keep! Keeping a little distance between might help. We should all have UHF radios for the trip.

 

[LLadnar]

yeah I would say via Roma too, it might be longer distance but with better road travelling at higher speed there wouldn't be much difference in the traveling time.

 

[Old.Tony]

Does anyone (that's coming along) have a satellite phone?

Bravobrad tells me there's not a lot of cellphone coverage up that way. I expect we might have difficulty anywhere west of Charleville, perhaps from west of Roma until we reach Charleville. If someone gets seriously hurt, we could be in big trouble.

If nobody has one, I might consider hiring one.

 

[shaggy]

Hi Tony

If I can get the time off work I may go along.
I dont have a sat phone but I have been thinking of buying one.Check out the link from ebay.
inmarsat IsatPhone Pro Satellite World phone bluetooth SMS email GPS IP54 Tough | eBay
This is the one I have been thinking of buying

Shane

 

[Old.Tony]

Not bad. $749 for the unit. Add $33 for the sim card and $60 for prepaid access and you're safe, the credit lasts for 2 years if you don't use it.

I'm not sure I'd buy one just yet. They don't indicate the minute rate for calls - that $60 might only last a few minutes!

 

[BravoBrad]

around $2 per minute from memory. Which is reasonable if you only use it for quick/emergency calls.

 

[Old.Tony]

For the facility, that ain't half bad. Still, I'll rent one if nobody is bringing one along.

 

[BravoBrad]

Correction..just looked up my latest list.

Basically less than $1 per min (the more you buy, the cheaper it gets)

 

[joshman]

You shouldnt need a sat phone just for a trip out to Birdsville. If you're with Telstra, you'll even have reception on top of big red.

Some of the road out to Birdsville doesn't get any reception. But seriously, the road is pretty well travelled, and will especially be well travelled around that time it'll be all good.

 

[LLadnar]

in an emergancy ALL phone made by every manufacturer in the world have an emergancy number in them, 112, dial this number and the phone will search for ANY signal from ANY provider and put through the call too local emergancy services.

"The GSM mobile phone standard designates 112 as an emergency number, so it will work on GSM phones even in North America where GSM systems redirect emergency calls to 911, or Australia where emergency calls are redirected to 000. It is one of two numbers (the other being the region's own emergency number) that can be dialed on most GSM phones even if the phone is locked."

 

[BravoBrad]

112 wont help you if nobody has coverage, and every minute counts in some situations. (No Im not referring to a flat tyre) Good comms will allways be better than somebody driving flat out 80 KM's to get back to reception. The only benifit you have during events like the birdsville races, is you can relay along the extended convoy via UHF, but its a bit like chineese whispers by the time it gets back to emergency services. Without Sat/PLB/Epirp/HF you really are reducing your options.

 

[FatBoy89]

Inmasmart were at the 4WD action show. 1 credit is 2 minute. Text is .5
I almost bought it at the show. Will defiantly be getting one for certain Hunting trips and camping trips.
They were doin deals at the show for $695 all inclusive with 100 credits

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm of the age where heart attack and stroke is a concern because I realise that I am not bullet-proof. A visit to the hospital for intense stomach pain - with me thinking it was wind - and an immediate placement in the emergency ward with surgery to remove a gangrenous gall bladder was the kick in the head that I needed to prove I could be hurt.

I did think even 112 would reach satellite coverage but thinking about it, I don't want to test that theory on the side of the road while my heart muscles are dying.

Satellite phone will be carried.

 

[WayneD4T]

While your at Charleville have a look at the "Cosmos Centre" I think you have to prebook for the night viewing but it is a great evenings entertainment especially if the sky is cloud free. What ever you do don't miss the Windorah yabby races especially if your going in a group pool ypur money and join in the auction to get a yabby.Try and get into the action in the first few events cause as the excitement builds and the beer flows they can go for some big bucks. The dash from Windorah to Birdsville on the Thursday is how some treat it. My I suggest that witnessing a few van that turned back to Windorah the common reason was the electric connections being to low and ripping off rendering no lights or brakes. Unless you really need electricity The commons between the race track and town has plenty of area for groups to camp and they place porta loos all over the place. If you pick a spot that is within an easy walk into town and not to far to stumble back too after a few sherberts. If the boxing tent is still there a must see. The water in Birdsville tasts great considering its arteasen. You will see where it comes out above ground as hot water. The bakery is a must for a culinary delight of an exotic pie and time spent at the birdsville museum is a hoot. Get a theme organised as a group and dress up for the races. You won't be out of place as everyon does it and it all adds to the atmosphere. You can't take your own drinks into the races so all refreshments are purchased on track. What a great trip and event this is and you all will have a memorable time no matter what happens. Our plan pending conditions at the time are to head west after the races with some family friends. Hope to see you at the yabby races.
WayneD4T

 

[LLadnar]

Very cool, thanks for the write up and all the info Wayne.

 

[Old.Tony]

Thanks for the info Wayne, I couldn't remember the detail about Charleville.

The Cosmos Centre does insist that bookings are made for the telescope viewing at night. Observatory viewings (actually using a telescope) cost $24 per adult, $16 per child or $55 for a family of 4 (prices valid to March 2012). We can keep checking the web site for price updates in the new year.

I'm guessing that if the run to Birdsville is becoming very popular, then we might need to book this particular event quite early. I don't think we'll book the entire group in advance, because we don't know how many are going. So far, I only know (for certain) of Brad&Bec and my family. I think we should book this ourselves if we want to do it.

The parking lot for the Cosmos Centre doesn't look like it caters for buses or caravans although there looks to be room to park on the side of the road going in - and turning the rigs around inside the parking area.

Going to the Cosmos Centre will mean arriving at Wards River rest area really, really late - possibly too late to set up camp. I wonder if they'll let us set up camp in their car park?

If not, there's a stretch of clear road - that looks like people camp on - at the Bollon Rd turnoff which is just south of Qantas Drive - click here to see it. We could stop there, set up camp and pretty much walk into the centre (or car pool it). This won't change our timetable any, but anyone hoping to meet us at the Ward River rest area to join in the group would need to catch us there.

I think I'll give the Cosmos Centre a call during lunch and see if we can camp there.